How To Have A Social Media Presence (When You're Interested in Social Media as a Career)

What's your handle again?

It was a regular day, like any other one, and I was glancing through applications for grad programs when one section of a school's application made me look twice: "If you have any social media pages of yours you want to share, leave your handles here."

Now, the double take was never because I don't want to share my social media channels, but more because I knew it happened at some point in the application process, whether its grad school or a dream job. A person's social presence is always going to be taken into consideration - it's just the world we live in 2021.

No, what more made me do the double take was because I was now reviewing the presence I had online - and all the years I had spent building it. From middle school even to now at 21, my social media footprint has grown every year, every post, every interaction.

What does this all mean?

We know our social media presence follows us... so how do we make it lasting? How do we market ourselves? How do we make it good?

As someone who studies social media, works in social media, and is pursuing social media, there isn't a moment where some app or browser tab is open. What I have gathered (and learned) is impactful to my own career - and hopefully yours.

Things to Remember When You're Surfing the Web (in no specific order)

1. People are listening (even when you don't think they are). My freshman year, I retweeted a post about non-traditional college age students being in classrooms, pushing back the narrative that unless you're 18-22, college just isn't your gig. A simple tweet, 140 characters or so, and then I went back to my life at eighteen. Later that same semester, I was in a presentation on social media responsibility with about 50 or so of my peers, and the presenter used my tweet as an example of what to do on social media. I was surprised because, hey, that was MY tweet! But also, I was being listened to; so in the same breath that I remind you to people are always listening to you, I also stand to remind you of your ever-impactful online presence (both having endless reaches). So whether you're tweeting about college student ages and the right to learn, Derry Girls only being three seasons long (sigh), or something entirely different, be aware of who you're talking to, directly and indirectly.
2. Make sure to have professional pages as well as your social ones. Even if you're figuring out the whole 'LinkedIn' thing while you're here on the page, still take some time to develop how you look online. Get a headshot taken, fill in your successes and positions, and build a snapshot of who you are professionally. Along with any witty tweets you may have, it's important to also capture what you're like in a professional setting. As well, make sure you...
3. Interact, interact, interact! Whether it's LinkedIn, Twitter, or another platform, interacting with others is a great way to show both A) You're here and you're accounts aren't ghost ones and B) connect with people - because we all know where connections lead. If you see a question online and you can supply an answer, give it! If someone needs advice, or you can relate to a scenario, that works too! Interactions look like likes and comments, but also replies. Either way, this is a healthy way to build your social media presence.
4. Spring clean your pages (and fall clean, winter clean... you get the idea). Sometimes this means deleting or archiving embarrassing photos your mom tagged you in of your high school Homecoming dance, sometimes this means deleting your hot takes from a Bachelorette season finale (sometimes too many hot takes just look like a flooded timeline, ya know?) Whatever this looks like, routinely taking a look of your posts and messages and cleaning up your profiles isn't a bad thing, it just means you're aware of yourself. And, self-awareness is one of the best things you can have (and do).
5. Sell yourself, but not in an over-the-top way; like, a normal amount, if anything. Post about your successes, your wins, your coffee orders that were made just the right way. But also, try to make your profiles a looking glass into your life completely. Leave a little (or a lot) off your pages, so you have some exciting things to talk about offline. This creates an air of mystique about yourself, and the mysterious character is almost always the one everyone is most interested in (I am looking at you, Edward Cullen).

Social Media is always changing, therefore, you're going to have to change with it!

...but some things will always stay consistent. Consider your online presence, and be aware of it, but also live your real-life life. If you look at my own instagram page, there's sometimes months between posts. Even though social media is at the center of my passion and career path, I try not to get caught up in it, and you shouldn't too (which might as well be a sixth tip).

Being aware and living life are both valuable parts of any person's experience. It's almost like you have to find a balance (which I am still learning how to do. The scales are often out of balance, so don't sweat it; we're all trying, and that's what matters).

Challenge yourself to take these tips one at a time, and even make your own tips along the way. Nothing is an exact science on social media - not even hashtags. We're all learning, all trying, all becoming. That is all we can ask of one another and ourselves.

Good luck, happy posting... and every once in a while, leave your phone behind. Not everything has to be for the 'gram... I promise.